


Humanity

by FKAErinElric



Category: One Piece
Genre: AU, Adventure, Finding oneself in the great big ocean, Gen, Kaku joins the straw hats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-09-18 16:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9394208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FKAErinElric/pseuds/FKAErinElric
Summary: Kaku had always wondered what it would be like to feel "human" after the defeat of CP9 he gets his opportunity when he finds himself on the Thousand Sunny. Will being with the Straw Hats give him that opportunity? Or will he get more than what he bargained for? (AU not following the cannon)





	1. Giraffe among the Pirates

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of cannon divergence in which Kaku joins the straw hats :)

Kaku slowly opened his eyes. He could feel pain coursing throw his body again. He took in his surroundings. He could tell he was in a bed. Seeing medical items lying around he concluded he was in an infirmary. Assuming that the day before must have been just some weird nightmare he slowly sat up thinking he would see a fellow assassin but instead he found a reindeer.

            He blinked. “Huh?”

            The reindeer looked at him. “Oh you’re awake.”

            He frowned. The reindeer kind of looked like that monster that attacked him and Jyabura. “Umm, where am I?”

            The reindeer got up and walked over to him. He was checking his vitals when he said. “The Thousand Sunny our ship.”

            The doctor took some notes. Kaku still felt a little light headed and said. “By our ship do you mean… the Straw Hat ship?”

            He nodded. “Yup.” He sat down the book. “You healed pretty fast but I guess that’s normal for a Zoan. Just be careful not to pull out your stiches.”

            He blinked as the doctor left. He was just going to leave him here? Wasn’t he their enemy? He slowly got out of bed and found his cap and jacket lying in a chair. He picked up both items feeling a lot better with them. It was silly of him to feel attachment to clothes but he didn’t feel like himself without his cap.

            He walked out of the infirmary. The doctor was waiting for him. He adjusted his cap and asked. “I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

            “I’m Chopper; come on everyone is waiting for you.”

            He followed the little reindeer. Surely he must still be dreaming there was no way he could just wake up on their ship and everyone act so casually about it.

            Standing around on the deck was the rest of the crew. The reindeer ran ahead of him and shouted at them about him being awake. The group turned and looked at him. He suddenly felt a little subconscious and hide his face under his cap.

            The Captain walked up to him. He wore and indifferent expression. Kaku wondered for a moment if he was going to punch him in the face or what.

            The young captain let out a sigh then said. “How in the world did you get here Square Nose?”

            He blinked. Honestly he didn’t know but if he told them that would they believe him? “I don’t know.”

            “Oh… okay.”

            The navigator and the long nosed teen shouted at him about that being okay. Kaku had to think what were their names? Oh yeah, Nami and Usopp. He glanced at the group as the two were fussing at Luffy. He saw Nico Robin who stood with her arms crossed staring at him. Honestly he felt bad for how Spandam had treated her. Beside her was another teen wearing a black suite and smoking. He believed that one was the one that took on Jyabura. Thinking back on it he thought he heard them call him Sanji. He saw Franky as well. He wondered when that delinquent joined their crew. He noticed Zoro up against the railing of the ship with his arms crossed and staring at the ground.

            After the two were done berating the captain who was busy laughing the whole time, Kaku smiled a little. Something about the kids’ banter reminded him of being with his fellow assassins. On one of their better days that is. This was one of those moments he could take a step forward and take an opportunity or… or what he didn’t have a lot of options. He had no idea where anyone else was or if they were even alive. His chest clinched at the thought of them being dead. An image came to mind of them lying in their own blood. He clinched his fists and looked down at the floor and spoke with little thought.

            “I want to join your crew!”

            Nami and Usopp were pulling on Luffy’s face fussing at him and stopped mid-way through it. With a snap his face went back to normal. There was a pause and all of the pirates (well most) yelled.

            “WHAT?”

            He looked up at them cleared his throat. He fell to one knee and begged. “Please let me join! I have nowhere else to go. The others… I don’t…” he clinched his fists again refusing to cry.

            The captain looked serious as he walked over to the assassin. “You don’t have to beg.”

            He looked up at him. “Huh?”

            “I want you to join.” He grinned. “Having a giraffe around will be cool!” He added grinning like an idiot.

            He stood up. “Are you sure that’s fine?” He asked looking back at the crew. He couldn’t tell their expression immediately.

            Luffy looked back. “Well what do you guys think?”

            Kaku feared for a minute that they would say no. He worried he would be tossed in the ocean like he was nothing. He flinched when he heard improvement.

            “Fine with me, maybe we can use him to make money as a giraffe.” Said Nami with a laugh.

            “Super! It couldn’t hurt to have another shipwright.” Said Franky

            Sanji took a drag off his cigarette. “If Nami-swan is okay with it,” he glanced over at Robin. “What about you?”

            She smiled weakly. “I can appreciate his situation.”

            “As long as he listens to the Great Captain Usopp I’m fine with him.” Said Usopp.

            Zoro let out a humph and stepped away from the railing. “Well at least I have another punching bag.”

            “Don’t hit him! He’s still injured!” Yelled Chopper.

            Luffy laughed. “It’s settled then. Welcome to the crew.” He smiled like a fool and nodded.

            Kaku now kind of felt like a fish (or a giraffe) out of water as it was. The crew dispersed leaving him there on the deck not knowing what to do now; he looked around when he heard.

            “Come on I’ll show you around the ship.”

            He glanced over and saw Robin standing beside him. He felt a little nervous around her. He nodded and said. “Yes, thank you.”

            He followed her as she took him to the kitchen area. “This is the kitchen. On this crew we all take turns doing chores, such as washing the dishes or helping Sanji prepare food if needed.”

            Said chief was busy cutting up a potato and glanced up at them. “I hope you know you’re way around a kitchen.”

            He nodded. “I know a little.”

            The blond sighed. “Good. When Robin is done showing you around come back here and help me.” He said pointing at a huge pile of dishes.

            His heart sunk some but it was better than being dead.

            “Come on.” Said Robin.

            He followed her to another room. “This is the library.” She said.

            Nami was sitting at a desk writing something. She glanced up at them. “Oh hi.”

            Robin walked over to her with Kaku following her. “Nami works on our logs as well as she is working on her dream of mapping out the world.”

            He let out a whoa as he saw the decent sized map lying in front of the young woman. She still had a long ways to go but so far it was looking good.

            “I thought that captains wrote the log?” he asked.

            Nami frowned. “You met Luffy, right?” she said with a little eye roll.

            Robin smiled. “We keep all of our logs and several books here. I think everyone on board has some book in the library.”

            He scanned the books seeing obvious ones like: medical books, cook books, shipwright books, and some about tools. Below that was the log books, each had a vol number and a name attached to the spin such as like Water 7.

            “I haven’t finished the one about Enies Lobby.” She said.

            He frowned. He wanted to put that behind him at the moment. He felt a hand on his shoulder realizing that Robin was urging him onward he followed her again. This time it was to an aquarium area.

            “Wow.” He said looking at the fish.

            “The Captain, Usopp and Chopper caught most of those.”

            He could hear the captain laughing loudly in the distance.

            “More than likely that is what they are doing now.” She added with a laugh.

            He wondered how someone who went through so much as her could be so cheerful.

            She finished up the tour and took him back to the kitchen. “I’m going out on the deck to read.” She looked to Sanji. “If you need me.”

            He realized that she was addressing Sanji with that. He frowned. What did he expect, Nico Robin to trust him?

            He noticed he was alone with the cook who was busy making some tea. He walked over to the sink. He moved some dishes around and started running water.

            He heard a “Here.” And the sound of a tea cup being laid on the table. He turned to see the cook heading out the door carrying a tray of tea.

            He figured it couldn’t have been poised and picked it up and took a sip. It was way better than any tea Kalifa had made for them. He frowned. He didn’t realize tea would make him so sentimental.

            He started washing the dishes when the cook walked back in the kitchen. “The tea is good… thank you.”

            He took a drag off of his cigarette. “That’s what I’m here for.” He stirred whatever it was he was making.

            He was making decent progress through the dishes. “It smells good what is it?”

            Another pause then the cook said. “Curry.”

            Kaku realized he couldn’t remember the last time he ate. His mouth watered and his stomach informed him of its presence. He frowned almost embarrassed.

            “Stop what you’re doing.”

            He looked at the cook. Had he done something wrong?

            “I said stop.”

            He put down the dish as the cook pointed to a chair. For a moment he was a little worried as he sat down. No sooner than his butt hit the wooden chair there was food in front of him.

            He blinked. “Oh uh… thanks.”

            The cook wiped off his hands with a towel and said. “Eat then finish the dishes.” He turned back to the stove and mumbled something that sounded like. “Why couldn’t it be that cute woman?”

            Kaku soon realized that the cook was upset he wasn’t Kalifa… he smiled a little hearing her say. _“That’s sexual harassment.”_ In his head. He ate some of the food. “The food is really good.”

            Sanji turned and smiled. “Good. Eat up and then finish the dishes. Dinner won’t be ready for a couple of hours so eat up.” He turned around and stirred the food adding. “No one should ever go hungry.”

            He finished up his meal then finished up the dishes he made small talk with Sanji asking where he learned how to cook and where he was from and so forth.

            Afterwards the crew sat down for dinner and Kaku started washing the dishes when he heard.

            “Land! I see an island up ahead!” called the swordsman from his up on the crow’s nest.

            Kaku dried his hands and like the rest of the crew headed to the deck. The captain was standing on the railing trying to see the island. Kaku wondered why he wasn’t afraid of falling in since he was a Devil Fruit user and all.

            The sun was starting to go down and the outline of the island could be made out in front the sun. All Kaku could see was tall mountain peaks on the island.

            Luffy cheered. “Adventure!” He jumped up preparing to head to the island when Nami stopped him.

            “Hold it Luffy. We should wait until day light.”

            He groaned. “But I want an adventure.”

            Kaku turned to him. “Nami-san is right Captain. We have no idea what is on that island or its terrain it could be dangerous at night.”

            The crew left the deck and headed their spate ways. They gathered various things to prepare to explore the island tomorrow. Kaku caught himself staring at the outline of the island… something about it seemed so familiar. He finally gave up on figuring it out and headed to bed.

            Up in the crow’s nest Zoro was doing another set of weightlifting. He was watching the sun set down behind the mountains. He briefly grinned thinking about any possible fights on the island as the ship got closer to it when he saw something. “Huh?” He put down the weight and stood up he saw what looked like an outline of a giraffe on the island. He wondered what the hell Kaku was doing and was going to shout at him he blinked then it went away. He frowned figuring it must have been his imagination.

 


	2. The Island

Kaku was amazed by the sheer amount of excitement the captain expressed over exploring this island. Day break soon arrived and the captain had eaten his breakfast so fast that Kaku was about 90% sure the boy inhaled it.

            The straw hatted captain was chanting adventure along with the doctor Chopper. Nami kept telling them to be quiet as the ship officially docked at the unknown island. There wasn’t a village in sight however so the group had no idea how far too had to walk to find one if there was one.

            The crew left the ship though Franky decided to stay behind to watch his precious Thousand Sunny and work on a recent project of his.

            Kaku felt out of place following the others off of the ship. No sooner than their feet landed on the dock Luffy took off.

            “Luffy wait damn it!” yelled Nami, as she, Usopp and Chopper chased after him.

            Robin laughed. “Our captain sure does love an adventure.”

            Kaku was starting to question the sanity of the crew. How can anyone follow a captain that acted the way that kid does? Then he realized he was following him too. He let out a small sigh as he, Robin, Sanji, and Zoro followed the others.

            Sanji looked around. “Doesn’t look like anyone has been on this dock for a while.”

            Kaku looked around and note the dried rotted ropes and barrels holding disturbing stagnated water. He grimaced. “It does look like no one has been here in maybe years.”

            The cook took a drag off his cigarette and said. “I guess we aren’t going to be buying any supplies here.”

            The group walked up a dirt path that the others had gone. The walked up a top of a hill and could see a village and the others standing there.

            They caught up to them. “Something wrong?” asked Sanji

            Nami gestured to the village. “There isn’t anyone here.”

            Kaku took a quick survey of the situation. All the buildings looked old but… it looked like the place was abandoned in a hurry. Weeds were taking over a water fountain and the stone walk ways. Baskets were laying on the ground appearing that someone had left their shopping in a hurry. There were even old clothes still hanging on a clothes line.

            The others wondered around the village. He was slow to follow he looked at the water fountain. The place seemed oddly familiar. He crossed his arms trying to remember if he had been here before when a sharp pain went through his head. He grimaced in pain and let out a hiss as the pain thumped in his brain.

            “Are you okay?” asked Chopper who was at his side in an instant.

            He nodded. “I’m good.” No sooner than those words left his mouth he heard a scream.

            “That sounded like Nami.” Said Chopper.

            The two of them ran to where the scream was. Nami looked surprised and was staring at something in the road. Sanji was by her side asking if she was okay.

            Kaku looked around the two teens and saw it. There was a skeleton lying face down in the middle of the road. More than likely a victim of whatever happened here on this island.

            “Wow a dead guy.” Said Luffy who had just arrived.

            Usopp flinched. “You think it’s safe here? What if this place is haunted?”

            Zoro placed his hands on his swords a protective reaction. He had no idea who or killed that person lying in the street and he wasn’t going to take any chances on it not returning.

            “Relax; who or whatever killed this person is probably long gone. Everything around here indicates this village has been abandoned for years.” Kaku said looking at the others. “And if it was an animal the bones wouldn’t be this neat.” He walked over to the body.

            Nami’s eyes widened and Usopp yelled. “Don’t what if he wakes up?”

            Kaku let out a sigh as he lowered down to the remains. He had received some training on examining bodies a few years ago. It was a task he didn’t have to do often usually that would be someone else’s job like Blueno or Kalifa. He stood up and nudged the body with his foot.

            “Looks like this person was shot from behind.” He titled his head and pointed at a hole in the clothes. “It’s hard to tell with just bones.” He saw the bullet laying in the ribcage. He grimaced. He looked up and saw a house a few feet away from them. “Probably running to that house.” Another sharp pain went through his head and he tried his best to ignore it.

            He turned to the others and saw Robin heading towards them with her arms crossed. She looked at the bones and barely blinked. It was obvious that it wasn’t the first time she had seen a skeleton before unlike the more innocent children on the crew.

            “The village was called Kirin. I found a sign back there buried in some weeds.”

            Another sharp pain went through his head that time he could not block out a small cry.

            Chopper ran up to him trying to ignore the bones. “Maybe you should go back to the ship. I think he might be pushing yourself to hard.”

            He waved him off. “I’m fine. I just have a headache that’s all.” He looked back at the house a few feet from them and another headache came on. His vision blackened for a second but cleared up.

            He heard the others talking and Nami said. “You think that guy was guarding treasure in that house?”

            “Who would just keep treasure in a house like that? It was probably his and he was running to his family.” Said Usopp.

            He had to admit curiosity was getting the better of him. If he could just hide the headaches long enough and check out the house maybe he could shake this uneasy feeling.

            Luffy said something about checking out the house and Kaku was quick to agree.

            Robin frowned at him before saying. “Maybe we can figure out what happened to the villagers.”

            The group made their way to the house. Kaku kept his pace slow as the headache refused to give in. He ran through his head what might have happened to this poor village. A buster call wasn’t likely because the village wouldn’t be standing anymore. Pirates were the most plausible answer but he couldn’t imagine them leaving the village in decent shape either.

            When they got to the house he heard Luffy say. “Whoa, someone really wanted in here.”

            The door was knocked out of the house and was in billions of pieces. Kaku looked at it seeing bullet sized holes in the splintered wood. “Looks like it got shot up too.”

            Robin bit her lip. “Whatever happened they were after this house. I looked around before I caught up with you guys and none of the other houses had their doors this damaged.”

            The two walked in behind the younger group. Nami was raiding a jewelry box as Usopp fused about her disturbing the ghosts.

            She rolled her eyes. “Usopp don’t be ridiculous.” She said as a necklace fell out of her hand. It hit the ground and opened up. The sniper picked it up for her and looked at it. His eyes widened for a moment and he leaned over to the navigator and whispered something.

            She grabbed the necklace and looked around the room and the two ran upstairs where Luffy and Chopper where.

            Kaku scanned the room as Robin looked through some books on the shelf. Something about this place still felt off. Another head ache came on and he let out a yelp. He nearly went down on his knees when he felt someone grab his arm.

            “Maybe you should go back to the ship.” Said Sanji.

            He looked up at him the young cook did look a little concerned. “I’m fine.” He said in between breathes.

            He heard Zoro let out a scoff as looked down at the assassin. Robin opened her mouth to say something as she had several books in her hands when they heard Nami yell.

            “That’s not funny Kaku!” followed by Luffy laughing.

            Sanji looked down at Kaku and frowned. “He’s with us!” He shouted when he heard a book hit the floor. He looked at Robin. “What?”

            One of her phantom arms pointed at the door. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw a giraffe. “Holy shit!” it startled him more than anything.

            Kaku laughed. “Oh neat a giraffe.”

            “Who says neat? How old are you anyways?” Sanji yelled as the assassin finally got back up on his feet.

            Zoro laughed. “Hey look we found your family.”

            Kaku glared at him and Sanji had to suppress a smirk. That moss head annoyed him but he had to admit that it was a little funny.

            “Giraffe’s are cool and at least I don’t have green hair.” He responded as he headed to the stairs. He could hear the swordsman yell.

            “What did you say? Get back here! You want me to kick your ass again you giraffe!”

            He rolled his eyes as he made it to the second floor. There wasn’t much to the house the second floor just seemed to be an old bed room. Chopper was by the window and the giraffe had its head in and appeared to be nodding. He raised an eyebrow and Nami said.

            “Chopper is getting information from the giraffe.”

            “He can talk to animals?” he asked.

            She nodded. “You can’t? I figured that being a Zoan type devil fruit user you could.”

            “As far as I know I can’t” He heard the others walk up the stairs.

            Luffy laughed and pointed at the long neck creature and said. “Look Kaku we found your family!”

            He narrowed his eyes and let out a sigh. “I happen to like giraffes.” He said annoyance apparent in his voice as he walked over to the window.

            Chopper was still talking to it. “Oh I see. Okay.”

            He reached out to it and petted it on the head. The creature raised an eyebrow at him then made a noise.

            “He says he doesn’t like being petted there.” Said Chopper

            “Oh,” he withdrew his hand. “Tell him I said sorry.”

            The giraffe made a noise and shook its ears and exited the window and headed to a tree.

            “He said it was okay.” Said Chopper the reindeer looked back at the others and Nami asked.

            “What did you learn?”

            The doctor sighed. “Well…” he glanced around then said. “Apparently this place was attacked. The giraffe said he didn’t know who it was but… He said that…”

            _This place was once peaceful. I and my brethren lived among the people of the village in harmony. We were the pride of the village many people came and saw us but one day strangers arrived. The strangers attacked the village and came to this house they killed the person who lived here and took away their child. After that they took away the whole village. We survived by hiding in the forest nearby. We always felt bad for letting them get taken away._

            Chopper nodded as he finished the giraffe’s story. “I asked him if he knew who took the people and he said no.”

            The group fell silent for a few beats when Luffy asked.

            “Do you think the villagers are still alive?”

            Kaku frowned and harshly said. “Dead more than likely. If not they probably wish they were. They were probably taken to a prison or sold into slavery.” He found himself almost hoping that the villagers were still alive himself but he knew that was unrealistic.

            The group started heading back to the village. Kaku put some distance between himself and the others. The headache was returning and all he wanted to do now was lay down. He never felt so drained before not like this.

            Little did he know as he was making his way back the rest was hanging back talking to one another.

            Chopper sighed. “I didn’t want to say it but… the giraffe said that he looked familiar.”

            Luffy looked up at the assassin who was nearly out of his sight now. “You think that’s why he was acting weird.”

            The doctor looked thoughtful. “I don’t know he said he had a headache…”

            “Dr. isn’t it possible for a person to repress their memories?” Robin asked. She had a book in her hand and was flipping through it.

            “Hmm I guess it is possible but… you would think that he would remember something.”

            Usopp gulped. “You think the World Government could have done something to his memories?”

            Chopper rubbed his chin in thought. “A devil fruit user that controls memories could that be possible?” he asked more to himself than anyone.

            “I guess anything could be possible.” Said Sanji who was looking at the book that Robin was flipping through.

            “I still don’t trust him.” Said Zoro frowning.

            “If he was lying I think one of us would have noticed.” Said Usopp

            “He _did_ trick everyone into thinking he was a normal guy at Water 7.” Said Nami. She held the necklace in her hand and ran her fingers over it. “I found this though. I thought the giraffe was him so I didn’t show it to you earlier.” She showed it to the others.

            “That does look like him.” Said Sanji as he pulled his cigarette out of his mouth and flicked some ashes off of the end of it.

            “So it looks like the evidence is suggesting he was the kid the giraffe was talking about.” Said Nami

            “Almost ironic considering.” Said Sanji as he put his hands in his pockets.

            “I still don’t trust him.” Said Zoro laying his hands on his swords he sighed trying to relax again. He looked at the captain not one to usually question him and said. “I can’t believe you trust him either.”

            Luffy frowned. “I made a promise.” He looked down at the ground. He recalled the day Kaku has dropped off on their ship. He had promised. Promised to look after him and get him as far away as he could. He let out a sigh. Some promise keeper he was, after all he unwittingly took the Zoan to the island he apparently came from. He clinched his fists no he was going to keep his promise all he had to do was keep him as far away from CP9 as he could shouldn’t be that hard, right?

            The straw hatted captain’s thoughts were broken up when Robin said. “I think this book might be the reason this village was attacked.”

            He looked over at the dark haired woman as she continued. “Well maybe not just this book. I noticed in that house there was spaces for books and this one stood out.” She ran her hand along the inside of the book and back over the pages. She pulled at the binding.

            “Wow aren’t you going to damage it if you do that?” asked Sanji

            No sooner than he asked that she got the binding off of the front cover. Hidden in the binding was a note of some sort. She opened the paper. “Just as I thought, it’s a code.”

            “The book has a code?” asked Usopp

            “Why would someone hide something in a dumb old book?” asked Luffy

            She shrugged. “Whatever it was it was worth losing their life over it.” She looked at the code. It didn’t make much sense at the moment but she would figure it out.

           


	3. Surprises await! Fukuro makes an appearance

Kaku could say he was happy to be away from that island. A few days had passed and he was starting to get more comfortable around the crew. He would spend most of his day talking to Sanji while helping the cook out or chatting with Robin about whatever book she was reading. Though he was never really completely relaxed around her he did feel a little better talking to her. He realized it was stupid of him to act like just talking to the woman would be atonement for his sins against her. He occasionally chatted with the doctor and the captain. The others he noticed kept their distance from him. He tried repeatedly to befriend the navigator and the sniper. Although Nami would be polite and talk to him he soon noticed that she acted guarded around him. He couldn’t blame her or any of them for the way they acted if he was in their position he would do the same thing.

            Something he had noticed much to his horror since they left that island is an increase in nightmares. To be honest to say he slept soundly after all he done in his life would be a lie. Hell most of them in CP9 would usually go for long periods of time with sleepless nights. Thinking back on it he was probably the worst out of all them. Usually he wouldn’t remember his dreams but now… they were so real.

            He’s last one was so vivid he wasn’t sure he didn’t live through it. It didn’t make much sense to him though. He leaned back in a chair he was out on the deck getting some sun and trying to clear his mind. He closed his eyes letting the world around him fade.

            The dream danced in front of his eyes.

_Kalifa was standing beside him screaming at him not to die. There was a flash and he was back at Water 7. He felt his back hit something hard as Rob Lucci had pushed him into a pile of wood._

_“Don’t you dare talk like that again!”_

_Another flash and he felt his body being lifted up. “Take him! We can’t keep him here! He’s going to die!”_

_Another flash and he was being pulled away from someone. He reached out and screamed. “Dad no!”_

He nearly jumped out his skin when someone shook him. He flung his arm and was getting ready to use finger pistol.

            “Kaku?”

            He blinked he realized he was panting and soon the world came into focus. He almost attacked Robin. One of her phantom arms was holding his wrist and she looked worried. He looked at her. “Sorry.” He relaxed his body and she let go. He worried that if he wasn’t careful the swordsman might finish the work he started back on Enies Lobby.

            “You okay? You looked like you were having a nightmare.”

            He let out a sigh and nodded. “I’m good.” He got up from the chair suddenly wanting a drink. “I’m fine.” He said more to himself than her.

            She looked worried. “If you want to talk I’m here.”

            He looked away. “I good thank you though.” He pulled the cap over his eyes more ashamed to look at her than anything. “I shouldn’t sleep outside like that. I’m going to get sunburned.” He said with a forced laugh and took off before she could ask more questions.

            He headed to the kitchen were Sanji was in the middle of making dinner. The cook looked up at him. “Dinner won’t be ready for a while. Are you okay you look pale?”

            He sat down and put his head in his hands. “Nightmare,” he looked through his fingers and heard the cook sit down a cup of tea beside him. He heard him pull up a chair and sat down. “I almost attacked Robin.” He felt ashamed just saying it out loud. His damn assassins training, looking back on it he was lucky he hadn’t hurt one of them by now.

            The cook lit a smoke and leaned back in his chair. “You want to talk about it?”

            A few days before he had almost attack Usopp when he woke him up for night watch. Since then he’s been on thin ice with some of the crew. Every time he walked past Zoro he was sure the man would kill him. Sanji had been a firsthand witness to the incident involving Usopp and thankfully Chopper gave them a lesson on not startling him. He rubbed his eyes.

            “I guess so but I don’t remember it. All I see is brief images… this time it was Kalifa screaming about me dying… Lucci attacking me at Water 7, someone saying that I was going to die I didn’t see who that was and the last… I think I was screaming for my dad. She walked up about that time.”

            Sanji studied him for a minute as he drank his tea. Having him around was dangerous but he felt bad for the guy. He knew what one of those dreams was from. He swallowed wanting to tell him what it was from but what was the point. The captain and Franky told Paulie they wouldn’t tell him about it unless his life depended on it. Something about cutting off all ties with them something he couldn’t understand.

            “I don’t even remember Lucci attacking me before though but it seemed so real.” He drank his tea. “If he did I wouldn’t be alive to talk about it.”

            Sanji put out the smoke he was grateful that his smoking didn’t seem to bother the agent. “Dreams are weird sometimes they don’t mean a thing at all.” He said as he got up. He picked up his tea cup.

            “Chopper said they are memory consolidation.” He frowned.

            He looked back at him. “Well I’m pretty sure they still don’t mean much. I can’t tell you how many weird ones I had and I know they never happened. I have never been stripped in battle by a bunch of woman and me and Nami,” He coughed. “Uhh never mind, just don’t worry about it.”

            He got up and handed him the tea cup. “Thank you. Hopefully it is nothing. Do you want me to wash the cup?”

            He shook his head and the two heard the captain yell that he saw another island. At least they found this one during the day.

            Kaku headed back to the boys room to get his jacket. He hadn’t been wearing it as much and just sticking with a black shirt. He picked up the jacket it was full of holes and torn. He frowned. He needed to get some new clothes that's for sure. He felt weight in the pockets something was in them. He reached in it. He hadn’t bothered with it since he got here since it was clear and warm most days so he didn’t notice there was anything in the pockets. He grasped something and pulled it out. It was a transponder snail. “Oh,” he said and went to sit it on his cot. It might come in handy so he didn’t want to lose it. Suddenly it sprung to life. He raised an eyebrow, who would have his frequency?

            The snail crackled and started moving its mouth. “Hello? Anyone out there?”

            That voice! It sounded like Fukuro. He clicked it on and said. “I read you Fukuro.”

            There was a pause. “Kaku, is it really you, chapapa?”

            “Yeah it’s me. It’s good to hear from you too.” He heard the older man cheer.

            “I’m so glad you’re not dead. I thought that… Where are you at, chapapa?”

            He took a moment to tell him about his being with the pirates. “So what about you? What happened to everyone else?”

            He sighed. “We all separated chapapa; I’ve been checking our transponders in case someone else came nearby…”

            “Separated? Why? What is going on?” He could hear Fukuro moving stuff around.

            “Can’t say, chapapa… Are you docking at here?”

            By here he assumed he meant the island. “Yes we are.”

            “Met me at Sea Ocean’s bar at five.” With a final chapapa the line clicked off.

            He stared at the snail wondering if the large man was being watched or something. He heard a noise by the door. He turned fast to see what looked like Usopp running off. Crap! Last thing he needed was him blabbing to the others. He sat down the snail and headed out.

            He didn’t see Usopp. He walked across the deck and realized they had docked. He looked over at Zoro who was doing one of his workouts.

            “Did everyone leave already?”

            He nodded. “Yeah.”

            The swordsman barely said two words to anyone so anytime he spoke to him he was surprised. He frowned. If he didn’t get to Usopp in time what would happen.

            He headed off the ship. He still needed new clothes. He scanned the dock various travelers were walking around talking and laughing it was a busy dock. He didn’t see any of the pirates.

            He started towards the down town of the village. Scanning the shops he spotted the place that Fukuro wanted to meet at. He spotted a clothes shop and walked in with a sigh. He hated buying clothes sometimes. He heard a woman’s voice and looked to see Nami talking to the woman behind the counter.

            She was with Sanji who was already holding some bags. She could give Kalifa a run for her money on clothes shopping then. The navigator looked at him. “Oh hey there Kaku.” She said. He could almost hear her fake sincerity this time. She wasn’t bothering to hide her disdain with him.

            He walked over to her. “Hello Nami-san.” He looked over at Sanji. “I see she put you to work already.”

            He smiled. “Anything for my Nami-swan.” He gushed.

            “Where are the others?” he asked casually.

            “Robin went to find a book store. I think Chopper and Franky went with her. Luffy and Usopp went to find something to eat.”

            So the sniper was with the captain. He was too late. He hopped that maybe he could reason with him to keep it a secret. Last thing he needed was more distrust. He spotted some men’s shirts in the bags.

            “What all did you buy?”

            Nami laughed. “I picked up some things for the other guys. I swear Sanji-kun is the only one that knows how to change clothes sometimes.”

            “Kind of funny I came here looking for some new clothes.” He said. As Sanji dug through the bag mumbling something about her only getting him three shirts.

            She looked at his clothes. “Yeah I guess you do need a new jacket.” She reached in her bag and handed him some money. “Here, you don’t have any money do you?”

            He couldn’t believe he didn’t realize he needed money. He could have slapped himself. He took the money. “Thank you.”

            She smiled evilly. “You owe me one.”

            He felt the coldness in her words. The young woman would have been a good agent if she wasn’t a pirate. He counted the money at least he could buy something and afford at least one drink later… maybe.

            Nami looked him over. “Please buy something other than black.” She scanned the clothes and saw something. “Try this on.” She dragged him over to the clothes.

            He looked at Sanji. “Help.” He mouthed. The cook just smiled and sat down with the bags.

            The young woman pulled out a red jacket and looked at him. “Maybe you should go for another style too.”

            It hit him when she handed him the jacket. She almost reminded him of Kalifa. He blinked as she was still holding the jacket out to him.

            “Umm, red isn’t really my color.”

            She gave him a nasty look. “No black.” She dug through the rack and Sanji called from his seat. “Nami-swan I think he knows how to dress himself.”

            She shot an insult at him as Kaku wondered over to another clothes rack. He wasn’t in the mood to be her personal doll. He saw a simple black jacket and another high collared shirt that went with it.

            Before he could make it to the register in one piece she shoved a blue jacket under his face. Oddly enough it looked like the one he wore at Water 7.

            “Blue is a better color on you then black.”

            The irony wasn’t lost on either one of them. He took the clothes and grabbed some blue jeans. Short of the white cap it was almost the same thing he wore back then. He still bought the black clothes. He took them to the register and tossed a red cap on top of all of it. Maybe he would try some red in his life. Of course that would be a decision he regretted later after he heard to total of the bill.

            The assassin almost hit the floor from shock. “What?” He demanded as the casher repeated the total.

            “Didn’t you know? This is a high end retail shop.” Said Nami with a shrug.

            Sanji laughed. Kaku should have known. Neither one of them looked like they wore high end clothes. He sighed handing the casher all of his money. So much for that drink. He took his bags and turned to the other two.

            “So what are you guys going to do?”

            Sanji shrugged. “I’m dropping these off and going to get some groceries and smokes.”

            Nami looked up at the clock in the shop. “I’m going to meet up with Robin for a while. It’ll be nice for us two ladies to get away from all the maleness for a while.” She added with a laugh. She handed Sanji the rest of her bags and left.

            Without thinking Kaku asked. “Why do you let her treat you like that?”

            He shrugged. “I’m a gentleman.”

            He frowned. So was he put he wouldn’t try as hard as he did to impress this woman as he did. He looked at the clock it was almost time to meet Fukuro.

            Sanji held out a hand. “I’ll take your stuff back to the ship.”

            “Oh uh thanks.” He took out his new black jacket and put it on and placed the old one down in the bag.

            Sanji left with barely a word after that. Kaku walked out of the clothes shop and looked back at it. Thinking back he remembered Kalifa doing something like that to him too. He wondered what was with women’s obsession with dressing men they knew.

            He walked into the bar and looked around. He spotted Fukuro sitting in the back drinking a soda. He walked over to him and sat down.

            “I need answers.”

            He looked at him and unzipped his mouth. “Chapapa, impatient today aren’t you Kaku?” He looked around. “Do they know?”

            “The long nose guy heard me I think. I didn’t get a chance to settle it…” no sooner than those words left his mouth he spotted the sniper and the captain walk in. Well he must have told him. He made eye contact with Luffy who acted like he didn’t know him. “They know. They just saw us.”

            Fukuro looked around. “It’ll be fine chapapa. World Government is what we need to worry about now chapapa. Spandam wants us dead for our failure.”

            He raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t surprised about that. “Figured as much.”

            “That’s why we separated. We are going to…” he looked around and leaned in closer to him and whispered. “We went our separate ways for protection chapapa.”

            “Where are the others?” he was worried that they might be dead.

            As if he read his mind. “Everyone is alive but I don’t know about Lucci, chapapa. Blueno took him to a doctor personally.”

            “And left me to die.” His voice raised some. He knew better but he was still a little mad about it.

            The zipper mouthed man shook his head. “No chapa. Blueno took you to Water 7 so you could get help chapapa.”

            He frowned. “Then how did I get on the ship?”

            He shrugged and drank some of his drink.

            This was starting to annoy him. He sighed and leaned back. “So can you tell me anything about a village called Kirin?”

            “Kirin?” He nearly choked on his drink. “How did you hear about that?”

            “We went there a couple of days ago. It seemed so strange. I was wondering if maybe… CP9 had something to do with it.” Because he was a junior agent a lot longer than the others he knew little about some of the earlier events.

            Fukuro looked like his eyes were about to pop out of his head. He jumped up suddenly. “I can’t tell you! No chapapa!”

            He went to speak again but the bigger man took off. He shouted something about keeping in touch with him as he left the bar. Kaku was defiantly suspicious. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. He heard a noise and looked to see Luffy sitting there with Usopp.

            “So you found zipper mouth… aren’t you going with him?”

            He thought about it. There was no point to it. They separated for their own safety, or at least that was what he was told. “No point to it. I like your guys company better than his anyways.” Fukuro was a mixed bag for him. He sometimes annoyed him but he did feel a little better knowing the annoyance was alive. He wondered where the others where. His heart sank when he realized he was almost starting to miss them.

            Luffy smiled. “Good glad to hear it, Kaku.” The captain laughed as he got up and left with Usopp.

            Kaku adjust his cap again then realized it was the first time the captain called him by his name. He got up from his chair. There was no point in staying after all he had no money to buy drinks.

            He started heading back to the ship when another powerful headache hit him. He was getting tired of this. His vision blurred for a moment he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes waiting for it to pass.

            This time his mind provided him with more torture.

            _“You killed him!” Jyabura screamed._

_“Kaku, no!” yelled Kalifa_

_“You went too far this time.” Said Blueno_

_“Yoyoi, you have given him too much.”_

_“You keep this up and he’ll forgot his training.” Said Lucci._

_Spandam yelled. “What do you guys know? I know I gave him the right dose. What do you care any ways? You aren’t people just tools! He’s just another tool in the shed as far as I’m concerned!”_

He felt someone touch his shoulder. This time he made a point not to lash out again. He looked up to see Franky. The soda drinking cyborg hadn’t had much to do with him since his arrival.

            “You okay giraffe-bro?”

            He nodded. “Yeah just thinking.” He felt a slight drizzle begin. He was glad he got a new jacket.

            Franky looked up at the sky. “Usopp-bro was right. Sis is really good at predicating the weather.” He looked over at him. He felt bad for him. He didn’t know what to say or do for him. He cursed under his breath. He couldn’t believe he let Paulie talk him into taking him in. It wasn’t like he could just leave him with the Family the people of Water 7 would probably want to kill him. He was sure the whole town knew the truth about what had happened. Thinking back on it he remembered the flustered Paulie standing over the bleeding Kaku shouting about needing help. Franky grimaced it wasn’t easy he had no use for the guy before he found out he was CP9 but…

            Kaku got away from the wall. “I’m heading back to the ship.”

            Franky looked at him and said. “Hey uh bro,” he started. The agent looked back at him. Franky remembered he wasn’t supposed to tell him what happened he looked away. “I’ll go with you.” The cyborg followed behind the young man thinking. He wanted to tell him he did but how? When Blueno handed him over to Paulie… He shivered recalling how badly hurt he was and being told to give him his freedom. Freedom from what CP9?

            They were almost back to the ship. Franky went to speak again but lost his nerve. How was he supposed to tell him something he didn’t understand himself? They boarded the ship and the agent headed to the kitchen to help Sanji most likely. Franky headed to his work area. He moved some notes around and saw a folded up note. He flinched. He and the others hadn’t decided when to give that note to Kaku yet. He picked up. His name was written in pretty letters across the back. He looked around tempted to read it. What if it was instructions to kill them? They were putting a lot of faith in a guy they knew could hide his true face with ease.

            He opened up the letter with a “Why the hell not?”

            _Dear Kaku,_

_I apologize for doing this to you but it is for your safety. Spandam wants us dead. You were too injured to make it to the next town we figured you would be better off in the place that gave you true happiness._

The letter wasn’t signed but judging by the neat hand writing it was written by a woman. Then again one of the guys could have nice hand writing what did he know? He folded it up. Unless it was coded it defiantly wasn’t orders. He sat the note down and remembered hearing the agent’s words.

            “Keep him safe.”

            Safe from what exactly? He found it hard to believe that Spandam would be able to take them out. He’s back was broken as far as Franky knew. He sighed when there was a knock at his door.

            “Yo?” he said as the door opened a crack.

            “Dinner is ready.” Said Robin

            “Super.” He walked over to her. “Hey did you ever figure out that book?”

            She looked concerned. “Almost…”

            He sighed. “I think we are in over our heads.”

            She looked at him as he walked past her. “Would you rather he died back at Water 7?”

            She said it so coldly that Franky could barely believe it came from her. “No I…” he looked down and did a slow inhale and said. “No one deserves to die like that.”

            She nodded as she followed him to the dining area. The others had long ago dug into their food. She noticed Franky glance over at Kaku then let out a small curse word before sitting down. She sat down herself. What she was beginning to wonder is why did those people think leaving him there would keep him safe? She picked at her food when suddenly.

            “Are you okay Robin?”

            She looked up at Kaku and smiled. “I’m fine thank you.”

            She looked back at her plate. She started feeling uneasy. She tried to shake it off surely it was in her head, right?


	4. Secrets

Kaku was starting to get tired of the way the pirates were treating him now. Every time he walked in the room they would stop talking or stare at him. He was wondering if it was his imagination or what. He headed into the kitchen Sanji was one of the few people who didn’t act like that. He and Robin but the archeologist was spending most of her time in a book.

            He sat down at the table and let out a sigh. A cup of tea appeared before him it was becoming a pattern with the two of them now. He had been on the ship about a month and a half now. He was surprised how close he and Sanji had become. Through him he had learned about his dream and the dreams of the other crew members. He supposed that the kids needed a dream to keep them going. He couldn’t think of a time he had ever felt like that. He sipped his tea as the cook sat down.

            He had learned about this young man wanting to find the All Blue and his love for Nami which sometimes he liked to pick on him about from time to time. The cook put out his cigarette and said. “Anymore nightmares?”

            His nightmares had been decreasing some and at least he didn’t attack people who woke him up. “Not that I can remember.” He sipped the tea.

            The cook smirked. “You were talking in your sleep.” He laughed.

            He frowned he hoped that he didn’t say any government secrets or else he would have to zipper his mouth like Fukuro. “What did I say?” He felt a blush creep up on his face.

            “Something about that Kalifa woman.”

            He looked down at his cup of tea. “It was probably…” He looked up at him. “Not what you think honestly. I keep having these strange dreams and… in nearly everyone one of them she is yelling about me dying.”

            “Oh… I’m sorry.”

            He frowned. “It’s okay… she was a good friend.” He didn’t feel self-confident he knew that the cook was a friend and didn’t mind opening up to him. It almost reminded him of being around Paulie and the others. At least Sanji treated him like… a human not like someone that could be thrown away.

            Sanji decided to change the subject and got some items out of the fridge. “You keep hanging around here and I’m going to teach you how to cook.”

            He finished his tea. “I have a general idea about cooking… kind of.”

            He looked back at them. “So who did most of the cooking?”

            “We had cooks at Enies Lobby so usually we didn’t cook for ourselves.” He stretched and looked thoughtful. “A couple of us cooked we took turns. Some were better at something’s than others. Kumadori always made sure we ate healthy, Jyabura usually caught what we ate if we weren’t at a village, and Lucci was the best cook though.”

            Sanji raised an eyebrow. Thinking about the violent agent being a good cook surprised him. “Better than me?”

            “Nah, he was better than Kalifa. The only way she could cook is if she ordered it off of a menu.”

            Sanji laughed he wasn’t surprised by that the woman couldn’t even make a cup of tea.

            “Blueno was good at mixing drinks. That’s how he got a job at the bar. Fukuro was just good at eating.”

            “What about you then?”

            There was a pause. “I can make toast.”

            Sanji chuckled. He realized that was the most he had ever said to him about the other agents. He wondered why it took him so long to talk about them. He had noticed that slowly over time the former agent was slowly softening up some. He was starting to joke around with them and Nami had commented he was more like he was when they met him at Water 7. Sanji sat down the ingredients and looked over his shoulder at him. “Can you peel carrots?”

            He laughed. “I think so.” He got the peeler and started taking care of the carrots.

            There was a pause between them before Sanji finally asked. “How come you don’t talk about them that often?”

            He flinched. This was almost becoming shameful now. What sort of assassin flinches? As a matter of fact what sort of assassin was having trouble blocking out the feeling of guilt and remorse. He let out a sigh and Sanji said.

            “If you don’t want to talk about it I understand.”

            He shook his head. “I’ve been having a hard time… processing it all… I can’t remember much after the fight with Zoro… I just wonder why did they…” He looked away and sat down the peeler. “They were kind of like my family from what I remember… It’s weird I’m suddenly remembering little things about the past that… I never did remember.”

            He raised an eyebrow. It really sounded like Chopper was right. He recalled a few days ago that Chopper was starting to think that Kaku was being drugged or something and that was why he was having gaps in memory. He light a cigarette trying to maintain his poker face. He thought back on it.

            _The Straw Hat pirates met up in the library after they had left the last island. They made sure that Kaku was sound asleep and Sanji wasn’t so sure that Chopper didn’t drug him to make sure the man slept. Zoro stood by the door and listened incase Kaku got up in the middle of the meeting._

_Chopper looked around the room. “Okay… I wanted to be sure everyone knew this…” He picked up a book. “After looking through the evidence, I think that Kaku was being drugged by this plant.” He opened the book and pointed at a picture of the flower. “This plant when ground down can be used to cause difficulties with remembering things.”_

_“So it blocks memories?” asked Nami_

_He nodded. “From what I have heard and what we saw it’s the only thing that makes sense. His bad dreams are the memories that were blocked coming back.”_

_“How do they block the right ones then?” asked Usopp._

_He shook his head. “I have no idea. It might just be dumb luck. At best we can do is keep an eye on him. We have no idea if the drug didn’t alter his personality any. He could be even more dangerous or violent than what we think.”_

_Robin looked at the book. “Could they be using this for mind control?”_

_“They could… maybe that’s how they get the CP9 agents trained.”_

_“How awful?” said Nami covering her mouth._

_“Mind control…” said Zoro thinking. He moved away from the door. “It might explain it… after I beat him he expressed disappointment over not being able to get back to Water 7.”_

_They were all silent until. “Well we do know one thing… We promised we would look after him and that’s what we’ll do.” Said Luffy_

_They all looked at each other and nodded. That was all they could do. They couldn’t reverse what had been done to him and for all they knew what happened to him was far worse than anything they had dealt with before._

Drugged? Sanji still had problems believing that CP9 would drug one of their own. After all they decided to send him to Water 7 for safety. But he was starting to see that he might have been drugged. Slowly everyday Kaku would mention something new and then realize he had no idea where it came from. Sanji sighed studying the other man. He pitied him he wanted to do more for him.

            Kaku frowned. “I keep remembering the weirdest things.” He sat down the peeler. Another major headache hit him. He grabbed his head and groaned in pain.

            “You okay.” He put his hand on his shoulder. These attacks were really scaring him. What if there was something seriously wrong with him? He pushed those thoughts in the back of his mind.

            “I’m okay.” Mumbled the former agent.

            “I think you should let Chopper check you out.”

            He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

            He pointed at the door. “Go see Chopper. If he gives you a clean bill a health you can come back and help.” He said pushing him out of the door.

            The former agent adjusted his cap out of habit. He sighed maybe he should just let Chopper check him out. He headed towards the doctor’s office when another headache hit him. He almost screamed out that time. He felt dizzy and fell down on one knee.

            He felt someone grab his arm. “Are you okay?”

            He looked up his vision was blurring he barely made out what looked like Robin. He heard another voice ask if he was okay. He couldn’t get himself to speak. Was he dying?

            The other person lifted him up. He blinked a few times vision clearing long enough to see Franky and Zoro was holding him up. Robin looked scared. He heard another voice scream for Chopper it must have been Nami. He felt the world get dark. Seeing them around him he almost felt comforted at least someone cared.

            A vision came before his eyes. Not again. He could see his fellow CP9 agents in front of him.

            _He was back at Water 7. He was standing there with Lucci, Kalifa, and Blueno. He crossed his arms and looked over at them._

_“I don’t want to do this.”_

_He could feel the others looking at him. Lucci sighed as he looked back at the junior agent. “Again with this, Kaku?”_

_Blueno looked down at him. “Kaku, I understand how you feel but…”_

_He looked up at the taller man. “No you don’t!” He clinched his fists. “This is my… dream job… my dream life. I always wanted to be a shipwright since I was a child. I…” He looked away. “I can’t do this. I can’t do this to them.”_

_“It’s our job.” Stated Lucci flatly glaring at him._

_“They are my friends! Don’t they mean anything to you?”_

_“I have no friends, Kaku.”_

_He gasped. “We have been here for three years don’t you… care?”_

_“We are assassins Kaku! We have a job to do. We don’t have time for you to be sentimental!” He swung his arm around nearly striking the younger man. He growled nearly going into leopard form._

_“Lucci.” Said Blueno trying to stop the other agent._

_Kalifa tensed up and moved closer to Kaku as if she could protect him. She whispered in his ear. “Stop it.”_

_He looked over at her then back at Lucci. “I don’t want to do this! I quite! You can’t stop me! I have my own life I’m not a weapon! I’m a human being!”_

_He barely registered what happened Lucci moved so fast. No amount of training could prepare him for an attack from the senior agent._

_Lucci grabbed the younger man by the throat and lifted him up off the ground. “Do you want to die Kaku?”_

_Kalifa screamed. “Kaku!”_

_Lucci glared at her but ignored her. “The only way you can get out of this mission is death! Just like the rest of us! Death is our only option!” He tightened his grip._

_“Stop it! You’ll kill him!” Kalifa screamed._

_“This has gone far enough Lucci.” Said Blueno._

_The leopard man dropped him. He hit the ground with a thud and gasped for air. Kalifa ran over to him and checked him out._

_“Lucci you,” Blueno started but the other agent ignored him and said._

_“Drug him.” He said flatly to Blueno._

_He blinked. “I thought you didn’t want to do that anymore.”_

_He looked down at Kaku. “Apparently it’s the only way.”_

            Kaku screamed when he woke up. “No!” He bolted up in the bed someone grabbed his arm.

            “It’s okay Kaku. You’re among friends now.” Said Robin in a soothing voice.

            His mind felt fuzzy as he breathed heavy for a little bit. She kept talking to him trying to calm him down. He scanned the room and saw the others gathering around. He coughed everything suddenly clicked in his mind and without realizing it he said.

            “They drugged me.” He rubbed his eyes fighting back tears. He cried he couldn’t stop it. Strange memories things he had never known flooded his mind bits and pieces most didn’t make sense. He felt her take his hand. He looked up at the older woman choking back a sob and said. “They were drugging me. I thought they were my family.” He sobbed louder. He never cried so hard in his life.

            Robin held his hand. She looked at the others feeling worried for the younger man. “Kaku they,” she didn’t know what to say.

            Franky walked closer to the side of the bed. Chopper was checking him out trying to figure out if there was any long term damage from the incident.

            Kaku kept crying he couldn’t stop and all he said was. “I thought they were family.”

            The cyborg spoke. “Hey Mountain Monkey.”

            Robin glared at the blue haired cyborg. She was worried that Franky would upset the emotionally broken man.

            The long nosed man looked up at the cyborg. Silent but his face said ‘what?’ Franky pushed a note in his face and said. “Here…”

            “Franky what is this?” asked Kaku.

            The cyborg took in a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that we held this back from you.” He could feel the eyes of the others on him. “Kaku, that note was found on you,” Kaku was looking over it while Franky kept talking. “When I was working on the Sunny… I… Blueno appeared and handed you over to Paulie. He told me…” He paused thinking back seeing other shipwright screaming for help holding his broken and bloodied friend. He coughed and continued. “Paulie told me that he asked him to keep you safe to give you freedom.”

            He folded the note up and looked up at the cyborg. His brown eyes were wide and full of tears again. He was fighting back tears and starting to lose.

            “He took you to our ship. He was worried that the people of Water 7 might revolt and k-kill you… Kaku, I don’t know the other agents… I barely know you… I only know from what I have seen in the last few weeks and at Enies Lobby.” He clinched his fists. “I can understand why you are upset but… they must still care about you. Why else would they work so hard to get you to Water 7?”

            Kaku stared at the note then back up at Franky. “Thank you for telling me and giving me this.”

            The blue haired cyborg nodded. “It was found on you. It belongs to you I had no right to keep it from you.” He headed to the door. “I’m still sorry about what happened.” He left the room.

            He looked over the note again. “Kalifa wrote this.” He folded it up and put it in his pocket. Robin took his hand again. “I guess they did care.” He said with a weak smile. He was getting ready to get out of the bed when Chopper stopped him.

            “I did research on what I think you were being drugged with. You need to lay down for a while. The drug takes a while to work out of your system. You probably got drugged back at Water 7 before you left.” He checked his vitals. “You’re weak now. It will take some time but… your memories should start coming back completely. It was start with recent things all the way too when you first got drugged.”

            He frowned. “That sounds like it could take some time.”

            He nodded. “Sadly there is a high chance you may never regain all of your memories. But you need you’re rest. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.”

            “I’ll be fine I’ll just…”

            “No! I said rest.”

            His eyes widened at him. “Doctor?”

            He growled. “Sorry, I’m tired of seeing you hurt. I am your treating doctor and I order you to stay in bed to rest. Don’t work too hard and DO NOT try to remember anything from the past actively. You could have an aneurism if you are not careful.”

            “Okay doctor I get it. I’ll stay in bed like a good boy.” He added with a little wink hoping to calm down the reindeer.

            “I want you here to monitor you okay?”

            He nodded. “Fine I’ll stay.”

           

            Sometime had passed, Kaku remained in bed despite not caring for the idea to remain in bed, several times different crew members would stop by and keep him company.

            Chopper would stop by and check on how he was doing. Eventually the little reindeer opened up and began telling him about his life on Drum Island and about how he ended up the way he is and his dream. Very slowly the reindeer was starting to warm up to Kaku.

            Usopp came by a few times. He gave him some material to work on a model ship after he found out from Sanji that Kaku liked making models. He started telling him some of his outlandish stories to pass the time. Eventually he opened up about their old ship the Going Merry.

            Usopp had just finished telling him about how they beat Kuro and got the ship. Although the sniper king put his own spin on it that Kaku knew wasn’t true.

            “Can I ask you a question?” Asked the former agent.

            “Yeah sure.” He responded nervously.

            “Why were so hell bent on keeping that ship after you had been told it would never sail?”

            The sniper sighed. “Because The Merry had taken us on so many adventures together… I think the biggest reason was because… it was something that reminded me of Kaya.” He crossed his arms and sighed. Sometimes the sniper got homesick especially when it came to Kaya.

            He frowned. “I’m sorry for… you know…” He didn’t know what to say recalling that he sent the ship to its death.

            He smiled. “You know you kind of helped us.”

            “Huh?”

            “Because you sent The Merry out she was able to save us from Enies Lobby.”

            Kaku could honestly say he was glad to clear that up between the two. He could tell that Usopp harbored harsh feelings towards him but he noticed that feeling decrease after they got to talking to each other.

            Nami came by a few times bringing him old log books so he could read about the crew’s past. The two would talk about some of the more colorful stories of the crew and laugh about it. He noted how little she wanted to talk about what happened at her island. That day she just brought the log with a sigh handed it to him and ran out of the room. He didn’t need to talk to her about it he could tell it was a touchy subject with her.

            Sanji would stop by every morning bringing him his morning cup of tea and something to eat from time to time. He would sit and talk with him before he would leave to start whatever meal that needed to be started. Kaku was grateful that the cook would bring by a cup of tea. He hadn’t realized how much he was getting hooked on having tea every morning.

            Franky would come by and talk to him about the ship. Sometimes he would show off his ideas for new inventions or things to do with the ship and get his opinion on it. Franky usually wouldn’t stay long but Kaku was starting to think it was because the cyborg couldn’t sit still.

            Robin of course would visit as well. Sometimes she would bring him a novel to read. He enjoyed her company she was a lot more calm and quiet than the other crewmembers.

            “Why are you so nice to me?”

            She shrugged. “Why not? I know what it’s like to be new on this crew it can be interesting…” she said with a smile.

            He sighed. “You know what I meant.”

            She stood up from her chair. “If you asking about _that_ you should know I do not hold it against you. You were just doing your job after all.” She said with a smile. She picked up her book. “I do enjoy talking to you. It’s nice to have another ‘adult’ on the crew.” She added with a wink.

            He blushed a little then asked as she was leaving. “Was it worth it?”

            She looked back at him with a raised eyebrow.

            “Is reading the Poneglyphs worth it?”

            She looked down. “Knowing where we as people came from is important. I know not everyone cares about history as much as I do.” She looked at her hands. “This world is a fascinating place.” She looked back at him. “Despite what you might have been told prior to my capture I have no interest in reviving the ancient weapons.”

            “I didn’t think you did.” He smiled a little. “I appreciate your companionship.”

            She nodded. “No problem.”

           

            The captain came by from time to time. Sometimes he would bring cards so they could play.

            “Usopp taught me how to play this… not sure if I remember how though.” Luffy would often say. Oddly enough they never made it through a whole game as the captain would get distracted or forget the rules.

            Finally one day the rubber boy asked him. “Hey Kaku, do you have a dream?”

            “Do I have a dream? No not really? I never gave my future much of thought at CP9.” He frowned. “I figured that I would die on duty so plans for the future didn’t mean anything to me.”

            The rubber teen frowned. “But you have to have some kind of dream. What did you want to be when you were younger?” after the question left this mouth he realized that Chopper told him not to ask him questions like that. “Oh crap I forgot.”

            He shook his head. “I told you captain. I have never had a dream.”

            Luffy looked at the model ship that he was working on before he came in. “Sanji said you told him you wanted to be a shipwright.”

            He nodded. “I like ships. They are almost as cool as giraffes.” He said with a laugh.

            Luffy looked at the little ship in the bottle. It looked almost like the Merry. “But everybody needs a dream.”

            He sighed. “I’m an adult captain. I spent my life… never mind. I just don’t see a point in something like that.”

            The straw hatted teen frowned. “That’s no way to be.” He picked up the model. “You’re pretty good at this. No wonder Ice-pops gave you a job.” He said with a laugh. “Maybe you can start your own company.”

            He laughed. Apparently the captain was determined to force a dream on him. “Captain I’ll think about it. If I come up with a dream I’ll let you know.”

            Luffy gave one of his signature laughs and sat the model back down. “Oh by the way you can call me Luffy.” He laughed again. “That is my name after all.” He picked up the cards. “I think you would feel better if you had a dream.” He grinned really big. “I want to be King of the Pirates!”

            Sometimes the childish behavior of the captain amazed and confused him. Yet here he was preparing to follow this teen around and come up with a dream of his own. How childish indeed. The captain smiled again as he tried to get the cards back in the box.

            “Stupid cards.” He mumbled as he fumbled with them. He managed to get them half in the box and he jumped up from his chair. “I keep forgetting you need to rest.” He headed to the door and left with barely a goodbye.

            Kaku yawned not noticing how tired he was. He wondered briefly if having a dream would change anything. Would having a goal to strive to really change his life.

            The most surprising thing of all was when Zoro stopped by. Other than their little spat on Kirin Island the green haired swordsman barely spoke to him. Kaku of course noted and was told by Nami a few times that Zoro barely spoke to anyone.

            The swordsman walked into the room and looked at him. He didn’t say a word to him when he first sat down. He sighed and closed his eyes before he finally said. “When you get out of here do you want to have a sparring match?” He looked at him with a glint in his eyes. “I could use the exercise.”

            Kaku laughed. “I’d be honored. Though the last time we fought I almost died.”

            He frowned. He leaned back in his chair. “You’re one hell of a swordsman for a giraffe.”

            He laughed. “You’re a pretty good swordsman yourself.”

            He green haired man got up from the chair. “Just don’t go making shit up when you fight this time.”

            “I didn’t have my powers long enough to come up with a skill set.”

            He glanced over his shoulder. “You need to work on that.” He said and mumbled a ‘dumbass’ under his breath.

            “Just try not to kill me this time. I’m sure Chopper doesn’t want to stich me up again.”

            He turned around and said. “Don’t get your ass kicked this time.” And with that he left.

 

            Kaku was soon realized from bed rest. Although his body had grown weak during the time he was grateful to get to know the crew better. He stepped out in the sun feeling its warmth he smiled to himself. Thinking back on what everyone had said to him Luffy’s advise stuck out the most. A dream? He looked around at the crew. They all had a dream something to strive for could he really find one of his own?

            He heard the captain call to him. “Hey Kaku!”

            He looked over to the captain. No his captain. He smiled a little and yelled. “I’ll be over there in a minute, Luffy!”

            He took in a deep breath enjoying the smell of the ocean and the wood of the ship. These people were now to him his friends. He may have lost his ‘family’ but he gained a new one. He headed over there to his new family when he heard Usopp call.

            “I see an island!”

            He smiled. Another adventure awaited them.


	5. Island of the lone Wolf

Once again the child like captain was cheering about an adventure as the crew got off the Thousand Sunny. This Island was small and the dock was on the back of the island facing the small village.

            The group separated once they made land. Chopper went to get medical supplies, Sanji food, Nami clothes shopping, Robin went to the book store, Franky and Usopp went to see about getting materials for their projects.

            Kaku was left with the captain. Zoro stayed on the ship again claiming to be training but Kaku figured he was napping.

            The pair decided to explore the village some but there wasn’t much to it. Luffy frowned.

            “I’m so bored! What’s with this island?”

            Kaku smiled at the childish captain. “I think it’s peaceful.”

            They were at the edge of the village. In front of them was some woods and a building could be seen in the distance. Some of the villagers stared at them from time to time.

            “Sadly we are attracting attention.” He informed the captain.

            Luffy frowned. “Well their island is boring.”

            A young woman walked up to them. “Excuse me are you pirates?”

            Before Kaku could stop him Luffy confirmed it. The assassin noted he needed to teach his captain about holding on to precious information.

            She smiled. “Good.” She looked around. “No one here will ask but we need your help.”

            “What’s the problem ma’am?” asked Kaku

            “There is a wolf on this island. We don’t know where it came from but we hear it at night it’s scaring the villagers.”

            “A wolf? Is it killing live stock?” asked Kaku

            She shook her head. “It howls every night.” She looked to the woods. “It lives up there. Poor Hanako up there all alone with the children.”

            They looked at each other.

            “Oh sorry. Up there is an orphanage. We get children from time to time that are abandoned here. Hanako takes them in. She has such a large house but I fear for them they are too far from the village.”

            “Don’t worry we’ll check it out.” Said Kaku

            Luffy nodded. “Let’s see if we can find this wolf.”

            The two of them headed up the path into the woods. Luffy was calling for the wolf Kaku was busy checking out their surroundings.

            “If there is one there are other wolves. They tend not to live by themselves.” Said Kaku

            They got near the house. It was a large house that has seen better days. Off in the distance they heard a howl.

            “Wolf.” Kaku said.

            They scanned the area. In the bushes the wolf eased closer to them. Sniffing the air he picked up their scents. One was rubbery like and the other… he sniffed again smiled so familiar. Wood chips with a mix of giraffe? The wolf peeked out from under a bush. He spotted the two of them. The wolf jumped out of the woods.

            Kaku’s reflexes kicked in. Jumping in front of the captain and yelled. “Iron body!”

            The wolf changed while landing. “Kid!” He yelled.

            Kaku blinked. “Jyabura?”

            “Who?” asked Luffy.

            The wolf laughed. “Boy is it good to see you kid!” He patted him on the back.

            “What are you doing here?”

            “After I got separated from everyone I got myself a ship. I washed up on the beach here and,” he pointed to the house behind him. “Hanako found me and saved my life. I’ve been watching over her since.”

            “So you’re the wolf that we were told about.”

            He nodded. “Yeah kid it’s me.”

            Luffy was still confused. “Kaku who is this guy?”

            Kaku laughed. Luffy seemed to forget people’s faces and names. “Jyabura. He was in CP9 with me.”

            “He’s a wolf guy?”

            He nodded. “He ate a devil fruit like mine but he is a wolf.”

            He crossed his arms and nodded. “Oh okay I get it.”

            Jyabura looked at the rubber boy. “Kid how did you end up with him?”

            He went to tell him when the door to the house opened.

            “Akemi get back here!” A female voice yelled when a young boy charged out of the house. The boy swung a wooden sword at Kaku and Luffy.

            “Get away from him!” the boy yelled.

            A young woman ran out and grabbed the boy’s arm. “Akemi stop it!” She was a thin woman with long black hair. Akemi was a small boy he looked about ten years old with short brown hair.

            She looked up at them. “Sorry he’s a handful.”

            He looked at her. “They were going to hurt Jyabura!”

            The wolf shook his head. “Don’t worry Akemi-kun I know these people.”

            The little boy looked at him and back to the others. Jyabura lowered down to him. “The one with the long nose is… Uncle Kaku.”

            The boy looked at him. “Uncle? Is he your brother?”

            “Yeah… the other one is,”

            “I’m Monkey D. Luffy! I’m a pirate!” He announced.

            Kaku rolled his eyes. He was going to have a long talk with the boy when they got back on the ship.

            Hanako gasped at the word pirate. She ran over to the child and put her arms around him. “Take whatever you want just don’t hurt my child.”

            Luffy raised his hands. “No, no I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want your stuff either.”

            She looked at him suspiciously still protecting her child.

            “Ma’am we came here because a villager was worried about you. They were worried about a wolf.” Said Kaku

            Her eyes darted to Jyabura who looked at her. Somehow she understood him and let go of her child. “Sorry.” She said. “We’ve had a pirate problem lately.”

            The child looked up at her. “Who cares about pirates? Jyabura can beat them in his sleep.”

            She sighed and looked at said man. “Can you do me a favor?” She handed him a list. “Can you get these things for me?”

            He nodded and she headed back inside. The boy tugged on Luffy’s pants.

            “Hey pirate can I see you’re ship?”

            He laughed. “Yeah come on.” He took the boy away and the two agents were left alone.

            Kaku crossed his arms. “What does she know?”

            He sighed. “As much as she needs to.”

            He frowned. “Wolf form?”

            He nodded. “She does know that.”

            “CP9?”

            “No never.”

            He smirked. “You’re only staying because you like her.”

            He gasped. “What do you know kid!” he demanded loudly

            He laughed. “Typical Jyabura.”

            “Look kid I love this woman okay!” He blushed. “She saved my life. I could have drowned on that beach.”

            He sighed. “I’m not surprised.”

            “What do you know your only 23?” He paused after that noting how Kaku seemed nearly disinterested in him at the moment. “Kid listen to me when I talk to you!”

            “I have questions for you.” He said sternly

            His mouth was half open almost looking like a fish. “Huh what?”

            He looked around. “Not here though.” He gestured to the woods.

            He looked. “Follow me.” He took off into the woods and Kaku followed. He led him to a clearing far away from the village and Hanako’s house.

            “Kid I don’t know why,” He started and Kaku said.

            “Consider yourself lucky I didn’t punch you in the face.”

            He frowned. “Like you could kid! What is with you? You should be happy to see me!”

            “I just want answers. Answer my questions and you can do whatever you want. Stay with the woman look for the others I don’t care.”

            Jyabura got defensive. “What do you want to know?”

            He crossed his arms. “Why did you guys drug me?”

            He growled. “Kid there is only so much I know,”

            “Tell me or I swear you wished you drowned all those months ago!”

            He turned fast. “Listen you little bastard! If it wasn’t for me you would have died! Snot nosed little shit! All you did is run your mouth!”  

            Kaku hit him so hard and fast Jyabura barely reacted. “Answer my question!”

            Jyabura considered going wolf and teaching the brat a valuable lesson but stopped. He saw the look in his eyes. The boy was desperate, desperate for information. “Kid… I don’t know much… The drug they used it on agents that wouldn’t cooperate.”

            Kaku relaxed his grip studying his face making sure he wasn’t lying he laid his hand on his pulse. “Cooperate?”

            “When they brought you to our homeland, you wouldn’t give in to the mind molding. You fought everything. You were one of the few children who were strong willed enough to fight it off.” His breath hitched as he tightens his grip on his wrist. “I’m telling you what I know.”

            “How did I get on the island then? Where am I from?”

            “I don’t know.” He tightened his grip and Jyabura screamed. “Stop it! I don’t know!” He panted. “Kid, no Kaku I’m sorry! I have no idea what was going on in the background! They older CP9 agents brought you to our homeland. Dropped you off in the boys’ dorm! You hide under the bed refusing to come out! I got you out and then you changed after that! You were a scared little shit back then! I was a teen I wasn’t there when they trained you! You know that!” He panted as the pain got worse. “Come on kid! Don’t the past mean anything to you? Put that garbage behind you! I saved your life. I carried you down the sea train tracks. You bleed all over me! I got Blueno to get you to safety! Damn it Kaku we wanted to protect you there was nothing we could do!”

            He tightened his grip bringing the man to his knees. “Just like I figured. More secrets.” He let him go he knew he wasn’t lying. He looked at the other agent who was rubbing his wrist. “I can remember something’s despite what you guys did to me.”

            “I never drugged you.” He glared at him. “I would have killed you outright.”

            He frowned. Ager built up in him. He wanted to rip Jyabura apart. “Yeah you would wouldn’t you!” He scorned at him. “But you’re forgetting I’m stronger than you!”

            He got up. “What happened to you kid?”

            “CP9 that’s what happened to me. Wanted a trained killer, they got one.” He growled.

            “I still remember that scared little boy.”

            A headache hit him. Not again! He thought he was over this. He staggered holding his head. The last thing he needed was to look weak in front of Jyabura.

            _“Hey kid.”_

_He was under a bed. “Go away!” He shouted at the face in front of him. He crawled further back under the bed._

_“Come on.” A few teenage boys were looking at him._

_A hand reached out to him. “I know you’re hungry, kid.”_

Kaku was hit by the full force of Jyabura in his man-beast form. His memory stopped before it finished. He didn’t invoke Iron Body quick enough. He kicked him with a tempest kick to get away from him. He turned into his man beast form as well.

            “You shouldn’t have challenged me, kid.” The wolf growled. “I’ll show you who’s best!” He lunged again and Kaku dodged quickly. He kicked at him again wishing he brought his swords with him. Another attack from Jyabura and he dodged again.

            Jyabura was getting angry. “Hold still so I can kick your ass!”

            “Why? Just admit I’m stronger than you.”

            He howled at him. “At least I’m not a giraffe!”

            “At least I don’t smell like a wet dog.”

            Jyabura lunged and got him that time. Kaku let out a scream as he hit the ground. He tried to hit him with his neck but the wolf held his neck down. He squirmed kicking and punching with his arms and legs. He was getting so weak he needed to train and get stronger again. The wolf tightened his grip on his neck.

            “I could kill you right now, kid.”

            He gasped trying to get him off of him. If he wasn’t careful then he could die here.

            He loosened his grip on his neck. “I can’t do it.” He let go of his neck. “Damn kid!” He got up off of his chest.

            Kaku rolled over on his side and coughed. Pain wracked his chest area as he coughed.

            “I’m sorry, Kaku.” He leaned down beside him. “I think you needed that.”

            He coughed. “Needed what?” he asked in between coughs.

            He ignored him and kept talking. “Sometimes a real man has to take a beating before he comes to his senses. You’re lucky I like you or else I could have killed you.” He stood up and reached down to him.

            Kaku eyed him with suspicion.

            “Don’t give me that look. Come on kid I carried your ass from Enies Lobby to half ways up the sea train tracks. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

            He took his hand and Jyabura helped him up. “I’m sorry I got so… carried away.”

            “It happens to the worse of us.” He turned into his human form and fixed his clothes. He wasn’t wearing his black CP9 clothes anymore he was now wearing a red shirt and with black pants. “I can’t ruin these clothes I ain’t got that many like I used to. Gave my last good shirt to Kalifa…” He looked up at him as he changed into his human form. He picked up his cap and dusted it off. “I was feeling good that day. Giving her my shirt carrying you around I must be getting soft. Maybe it was Gatherine.” He sat the cap on Kaku’s head. “Here you look weird without this old thing.”

            He fixed his hat and covered his eyes with the shadow of the bill. He was embarrassed for attacking him. “Jyabura I know this doesn’t mean much now but… thank you for… back at Enies Lobby.”

            He nodded. “We have to look out for one another. The Government will never look after us.” He looked up at the sky like he was thinking. “Those days… those days that we weren’t on a mission those were some of the best days.”

            He stood silently listening to the older man talk.

            “I miss those days.” He sat down. “Hell I’m starting to miss everyone.”

            He sat beside him silently. The sun shone down on the two of them. He had a difficult relationship with the older man. Jyabura would fight at a drop of a hat but he could be compassionate at the same time. He knew that despite their differences that he did care about his wellbeing at least a little bit.

            “So how did you end up with the Straw Hats anyways?”

            Kaku told him what he knew and his adventure with them so far.

            “Oh I see.” He got up. “At least Akemi-kun is with safe hands.” He blinked a few times. “Oh shit! I forgot Hanako wanted me to get her some stuff.” He was getting ready to run back to the village when there was a loud explosion.

            The explosion rocked the island and the two almost fell.

            “The heck?” asked Kaku. He turned into his man-beast form to get a better view. Off in the distance he saw a pirate ship. “Pirates.” He looked around seeing smoke blowing up from the trees. “Oh no!”

            “Oh no what?”

            He changed back. “Pirates! The attacked Hanako’s house!”

            His eyes widened. “Hanako!” He screamed. He ran through the woods as fast as he could.

            Kaku followed him. He got away from the tree line. The house was smoking and on fire.

            “Hanako!” Jyabura screamed. He ran to the house but was stopped by Kaku.

            “Don’t you can’t get in there!”

            He struggled. “I have to she’s…” he fought back tears and screamed her name again.

            He watched in horror trying to keep the man together. He heard someone run up he turned to see it was the Straw Hat pirates save for Luffy who he hoped was with Akemi.

            “What happened?” Nami asked

            “Pirates off the other coast. They attacked the house not sure why though.” He answered.

            Jyabura fought the urge to scream as he struggled to get away from Kaku. “I’ll kill them! I’ll kill all of them!”

            They heard a scream off in the distance.

            “That sounded like it came from the village.” Said Chopper.

            “Might be more than one ship.” Said Robin crossing her arms.

            “Bastards!” Yelled Jyabura who broke free of Kaku.

            “Jyabura wait!” The man was such a hot head.

            Luckily Sanji blocked him with his leg. The wolf growled at the love cook.

            “Out of my way.”

            “No. You can’t just throw your life away like that.”

            “What do you know?”

            “He’s right.” Kaku said. He walked over to him calmly with his hands in his pockets. “She wouldn’t want to throw your life away. What about Akemi? He’s going to need someone to look after him.”

            He sucked in a breath. “But they,”

            “We can work together.” Said Kaku. “You, me and the straw hats.”

            He looked around. The pirates nodded. “I tried to kill you.” He said to the teens. He felt emotional for a moment. Blocking tears of gratitude the group ran to the village.

            The other pirates were attacking the village. One in the group was wearing a flashy red cape with a zebra print hat. He stood out like a sore thumb. If Kaku was a beating man he figured that guy was the captain.

            “Get all the kids! We’ll get paid well for them.” Called the captain.

            A few men cheered and a couple dragged Hanako up to the captain.

            “We found here Captain Zebra.”

            He looked down at her. “Finally. Where are the kids?”

            She looked away.

            “Dumb bitch! I’ll teach you,” Zebra lesson was never taught as he was hit full force by a wolf.

            Bam! The captain hit the ground. Jyabura turned into his man-beast form and held the captain down. “How about I teach you a lesson?”

            The pirates screamed in shock then looked around. Surrounded by the Straw Hats and Kaku they didn’t know what to do.

            “What are they captain?”

            “They don’t pay us enough for this.”

            “Is that a giraffe?”

            There was a pause and the other pirates laughed. Kaku growled in annoyance as Jyabura looked back at him.

            “I told you, you looked stupid.”

            “Shut up!” He yelled.

            The other pirates charged at them. Kaku took them down with ease. Wave after wave of pirates. The seemed to have their own army. Jyabura was trying to scare Zebra into leaving when he didn’t notice another pirate with a gun was aiming at him.

            “Get off my island!” Yelled Jyabura

            “Get away from me you freak!” yelled Zebra. The captain spotted his man with a gun. “Shoot him!” He yelled.

            The gun was leveled. Jyabura invoked Iron Body but before a shot was fired.

            “Gum, gum pistol!” And with that the gun man was hit with an unimaginable force. The pirate flew like a rag doll into a building.

            “That was cool!” Yelled Akemi.

            Luffy looked at the boy. “Oh I told you to stay on the ship.”

            “Oh but I wanted to see a pirate fight.” He spotted his mother. “Mom!” He cried. The boy almost ran to him but Luffy stopped him.

            Distracted Zebra got Jyabura off of him. The captain ran over to the woman and grabbed her. He put a gun to her head. “Stop it! All you freaks put down your weapons.”

            Everyone stopped. The captain laughed. “Okay here’s what happens now. You all leave my crew alone and I take the babe and the kid as my reward for the damage you guys did.” While he was busy flapping his mouth he didn’t notice that Kaku used shave and was beside him. Zebra stopped talking for a second when he noticed the long nosed man was beside him. His mouth flopped like a fish. He pointed his finger at him and said “Finger pistol.” With a bang Hanako flinched as Zebra was flung back. Blood pouring out of his injured arm.

            He helped up Hanako and nudged her to Akemi. He smiled when he saw mother and son hugging.

            Zebra was holding his arm. His own crew had ran off now leaving him alone. “You son of a bitch!” He looked at the blood on his hand. Kaku and Jyabura walked closer to him. He screamed. “No stay away!” He moved away from them.

            They moved closer. Kaku heard his friends yell at him to stop. He got near the captain thinking of how to finish him off. He raised a leg to do tempest kick when he was stopped by Luffy.

            “Stop it now!” He wrapped his rubbery arms around him. “Don’t do it!”

            The captain jumped up and screamed. “Monsters! All of you monsters freaks!” the man ran off yelling for his crew.

            Luffy let Kaku go. He hit him on the head.

            “Ouch what,”

            He narrowed his eyes. His face said more than words could. His captain was disappointed in him. He scanned the faces of his friends. The results were mixed but none looked too pleased with him.

            Jyabura ran over to Hanako. “Are you okay?”

            She nodded and hugged him. “Thank you.” Her eyes focused on Kaku then she let him go. “Who are you guys?”

            The two of them looked at her. Shadows cast over their faces she looked scared. “What are you?” She moved her son closer to her.

            Villagers wondered out of their houses. “Monsters!” “Get out of here!”

            Kaku realized they were looking at him. Him a monster? He wasn’t in his man-beast form at the moment. He looked around. The villagers were afraid. Afraid of him. He went to explain his powers when someone threw a rock at him.

            “Get out of this village!”

            More rocks and chants of leave. He invoked iron body as a few rocks hit him. He stood there taking the assault.

            “Stop it!” Franky yelled getting in front of Kaku. “He just saved you’re guys butts and this is what you do?” He hated when people treated others like that just because they were different.

            “Let it go Franky.” He said as another rock flew by.

            “What?” he looked back at him.

            “I said let it go.” He looked around. He invoked moon walk and jumped out of the line of fire. A few hops later and he was back on the ship.

            He hit the deck. His body feeling the effects of using the six powers after so little exercise. He fell to his knees. He felt emotionally hurt. He could hear them yelling. “Monster!” Over and over again. He held his head and let out a sob. Sounding like a wounded animal he gave in. He was a monster. He just tried to kill a man twice in one day. Who was he kidding Spandam was right, he was a tool. A weapon selected and trained to kill. He wasn’t a shipwright, a pirate, a friend, hell he was barely human.

            He heard someone walk onto the ship. He didn’t look up as someone sat down beside him. He felt a light hand on his shoulder. It was Robin. He knew it but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

            “The others are trying to smooth things over.” She whispered.

            He didn’t answer didn’t look at her. He suddenly felt so unworthy to be around her.

            “Jyabura wanted to see you before we left.”

            Still nothing. She sighed and edged closer to him. He was beside her shoulder she was almost holding him up now. She could relate almost recalling how the childhood bullies treated her because they didn’t understand.

            “They are right.” He finally said.

            She looked at him but remained silent.

            “I am a monster.” He looked at his hands. “Trained and raised to be a monster.”

            She frowned. “Maybe you are a monster.”

            His heart sunk. A pain shot through him just hearing that from one of his new found friends really hurt more than it should.

            “But if you’re a monster than we are all monsters.”

            “Robin I almost killed a man today.”

            She looked into his face. “A man who was about to kill someone for his own gain. Who is really the monster? You or him?”

            He paused and looked at the floor. Studying every line in the wood he finally said. “I am just a weapon…”

            She put her arm around him. She tried to comfort him. Maybe she should have let the cook talk to him. The former CP9 agent looked defeated. Who knew one little word could bring a man down so low? “Weapon, monster, tool, giraffe, human? What does it really matter what others call you, Kaku? No matter what you are still Kaku, right? They can break you down with words but they can’t destroy you, Kaku.”

            “Than what am I Robin? I was trained to kill. I wasn’t trained to be a friend to be normal! What am I really?”

            She smiled warmly. “You are Kaku and nothing in this world can take that from you.”

            He blinked a few times reregistering what she had said. He heard Luffy calling for them from the land. “Is Luffy mad at me?”

            “More worried I think.” She looked back and used her powers to generate an arm and wave at Luffy. “Ready to go back?”

            He hesitated for a moment.

            “I’m not going to force you. Jyabura did want to talk to you though.” She stood up. “You should go down there and show them what you are.”

            He nodded feeling determined. He stood up beside her and saw the rest of the crew and Jyabura waiting for them. He tried his best to smile. Robin was right he was Kaku and no matter what they called him nothing could take that away.


End file.
